This invention relates to a clutch release bearing which includes two bearing races, rolling elements arranged between the races and preferably held by a retainer, as well as a holding ring attached to one of the bearing races, the holding ring joining the two races and the rolling elements to constitute an assembly.
Clutch release bearings of this general type are already known in the art, as illustrated by FIG. 3 of the German Utility Model Patent No. 1,975,536 which discloses a clutch release bearing having first and second bearing races made of sheet metal, where the two bearing races are held together by means of an angle ring forced onto an axial projection of one of the bearing rings. This angle ring has a radial flange which faces a corresponding radially oriented surface of the second bearing ring; this angle ring performs merely a holding function in view of the fact that there exists a relatively large axial space between the mutually opposing surfaces of the angle ring and the second bearing race.
Another prior art clutch release bearing, as disclosed in the German Patent Specification No. 2,211,521, is a thrust bearing in which the angle ring inserted into the bore of the outer bearing disk connects with its radially oriented flange the inner bearing disk with the set of rolling elements so as to constitute one component or assembly. Likewise in this case the angle ring performs merely a holding function.
In the case of intermittent operation of known clutch release bearings, there is the risk during the released state of the bearing, that the set of rolling elements may push the two bearing rings axially apart so that the set of rolling elements would sag, thereby causing the likelihood of an radial shift between the individual bearing components, which impairs the operation of the bearing.
It is the object of the present invention to create a clutch release bearing of the type described above in which, without any additional elements, an axial displacement of the bearing ring parts is prevented at any time during operation.